Civil Air Transport

Overview

Civil Air Transport (CAT) was a Nationalist Chinese airline founded in 1946 by General Claire Chennault, leader of the World War II Flying Tigers, and Whiting Willauer, a U.S. diplomat with ties to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Initially established to airlift humanitarian supplies into war-ravaged China, CAT evolved into a key instrument of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) covert operations in East and Southeast Asia during the Cold War. The airline’s history is marked by its dual role as a commercial carrier and a CIA proprietary, conducting clandestine missions under the guise of civilian operations.

Formation and Early Operations (1946–1950)

Founding and Initial Purpose

CAT was established in 1946 as the Chinese National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (CNRRA) Air Transport, using surplus World War II aircraft like the C-47 Dakota and C-46 Commando. Its initial mission was to deliver food and supplies to China’s war-torn regions after Japan’s surrender. Many of CAT’s early pilots were Flying Tigers veterans, bringing combat aviation expertise to the airline.

Led by Chennault and Willauer, CAT operated as a private entity but maintained close ties with the Chinese Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek. The airline’s early operations included airlifting supplies during the Chinese Civil War (1945–1949) to support the Kuomintang (KMT) against Mao Zedong’s communists.

Chinese Civil War and Evacuations

From 1947 to 1949, as communist forces advanced, CAT played a critical role in sustaining KMT-held cities. It airlifted supplies to besieged areas like Weihsien in Shandong Province, often flying under fire to deliver essentials and evacuate personnel. CAT’s pilots braved shelling on runways, with some planes damaged during these missions.

After the KMT’s defeat in 1949, CAT evacuated thousands of Nationalist personnel and civilians to Taiwan, a logistical feat that solidified its reputation for high-stakes operations. These efforts were initially contracted by the KMT but set the stage for deeper U.S. involvement.

CIA Acquisition (1950)

By 1950, CAT faced financial difficulties due to the KMT’s retreat to Taiwan and reduced commercial viability. In August 1950, the CIA secretly purchased CAT’s assets through a Delaware-based front company, Airdale Corporation (later CAT, Inc.), acquiring nominal shares to maintain the airline’s civilian appearance.

Under CIA ownership, CAT operated as a proprietary airline, flying scheduled passenger routes across Asia while using other aircraft for covert missions. Alfred T. Cox, a CIA officer, was appointed CAT’s president, overseeing both commercial and clandestine operations. This dual structure allowed the CIA to embed operatives and conduct intelligence activities under commercial cover.

CIA Activities Through CAT (1950–1959)

The CIA used CAT as a versatile platform for covert operations, leveraging its civilian status to support U.S. anti-communist objectives in Asia. Key CIA activities included:

Korean War Support (1950–1953)

During the Korean War, CAT airlifted thousands of tons of war materials to support U.S. and KMT forces, including supplies for KMT holdouts in Burma under Operation PAPER. This operation aimed to harass communist China from Burmese bases, with CAT providing logistical support.

On November 29, 1952, a CAT C-47 mission to extract a Chinese Nationalist spy in Manchuria using a “pole and line” pickup system was ambushed by Chinese forces. The plane, piloted by Robert Snoddy and Norman Schwartz, was shot down near Antu, Jilin province, killing both pilots. CIA officers John T. Downey and Richard G. Fecteau survived but were imprisoned by China for nearly 20 years. The CIA initially concealed the mission, telling families the plane crashed in the Sea of Japan. Remains of Snoddy were recovered in 2005, but Schwartz’s remain missing. This incident highlighted the risks of CAT’s covert missions.

Indochina Operations (1953–1954)

CAT supported French forces during the First Indochina War against the Viet Minh. On May 1, 1953, under Operation Squaw, CAT airdropped supplies to French troops besieged at Na Sam, Laos, using C-119 Flying Boxcars loaned by the U.S. and hastily painted with French insignia. CAT pilots, unfamiliar with the aircraft, flew these dangerous missions, showcasing their adaptability.

In 1954, CAT was heavily involved at Dien Bien Phu, delivering supplies to French forces under intense anti-aircraft fire. Pilots like James McGovern and Wallace Buford were shot down during these missions, with McGovern and Buford killed in a crash near the Laos-Vietnam border. Buford’s earlier heroism, saving a wounded crewmember, was noted but not formally recognized due to his civilian status. Their bodies were later recovered by villagers and a French team. These operations underscored CAT’s role in high-risk CIA-backed missions.

A notable incident on July 23, 1954, involved a CAT C-46 flown by Cox and William Rousselot, attacked by Chinese forces near Hainan Island while en route from Hong Kong to Haiphong. This “Cathay-Pacific Incident” highlighted the dangers of CAT’s covert routes near communist territories.

Propaganda and Covert Support

CAT facilitated CIA propaganda efforts, such as dropping leaflets and broadcasting anti-communist messages in China and other regions. These operations aimed to undermine communist morale and support U.S. psychological warfare objectives.

The airline provided cover for CIA personnel, who operated as CAT employees to conduct espionage and intelligence-gathering activities across Asia. The civilian facade allowed operatives to move freely without arousing suspicion.

Permesta Rebellion in Indonesia (1958)

CAT supported the CIA-backed Permesta rebellion against the Sukarno government in Indonesia, airlifting supplies and personnel to rebel forces. On May 18, 1958, CAT pilot Allen Pope was shot down, carrying documents exposing CIA involvement, including his CAT identity card and flight logs. The Eisenhower administration, embarrassed, ended support for Permesta, and Pope was sentenced to death but released in 1962 after negotiations by Robert F. Kennedy. This incident revealed CAT’s role in CIA covert operations beyond China.

Transition to Air America (1959–1968)

In 1959, CAT was reorganized as Air America to expand its covert operations during the Vietnam War and Laotian Civil War. While CAT continued limited commercial flights from Taiwan, Air America focused on CIA missions in Laos, South Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Air America inherited CAT’s fleet, including C-46s, C-47s, and later helicopters like the Sikorsky UH-34D and Boeing CH-47C Chinook, and operated from bases in Thailand, Laos, and Taiwan. It supported CIA operations like Project Momentum, arming Hmong insurgents under General Vang Pao in Laos, and conducted “hard rice drops” (weapons deliveries) alongside humanitarian “rice drops.”

CIA Activities via Air America

Air America flew covert missions, including inserting and extracting CIA operatives, Navy SEALs, and Special Forces, as well as conducting search-and-rescue operations for downed U.S. pilots. Pilots like Dan Kurtz operated non-FAA-certified military aircraft in combat roles under civilian cover.

The CIA’s Special Activities Division (SAD) worked closely with Air America, with pilots transporting CIA station chiefs like William Colby to remote airstrips and supporting commando operations. A 1970 White House memo from Henry Kissinger to President Nixon confirmed Air America’s status as a CIA proprietary, highlighting its pilots’ expertise in Laos’ terrain.

Controversially, Air America planes were linked to drug trafficking in Laos, particularly opium transport for Hmong allies reliant on poppy cultivation. Historian Alfred W. McCoy argues the CIA tolerated or facilitated this trade to secure Hmong loyalty, though direct CIA involvement remains debated.

Key Operations

Lima Site 85: Air America supported the CIA’s covert radar site in Laos, used to guide U.S. bombing of North Vietnam. The site’s fall in 1968 highlighted the risks of CIA operations in contested areas.

Vietnam War Evacuations: In 1975, Air America helicopters evacuated Americans and South Vietnamese from Saigon, including the iconic rooftop evacuation from the U.S. Embassy, marking a humanitarian end to its operations. Dissolution and Legacy (1968–1976)

Financial Success: Unlike most CIA proprietaries, CAT and Air America were profitable, returning $20–25 million to the U.S. Treasury upon dissolution in 1976. Air Asia, a subsidiary holding Air America’s assets, was sold to Evergreen International Airlines.

End of Operations: Air America was dissolved on June 30, 1976, after the Vietnam War, with its operating certificate canceled in 1974. Attempts to continue operations in Thailand via Continental Air Services Inc. failed by 1975.

Legacy: CAT and Air America remain the longest-lasting and most successful CIA proprietaries, operating for 26 years without direct U.S. government funding. Their pilots and crews, often unrecognized due to the covert nature of their work, are commemorated at the CIA’s headquarters and through the CAT Association.

Conclusion

Civil Air Transport, founded in 1946 by Chennault and Willauer, began as a humanitarian airline but became a CIA proprietary in 1950, conducting covert missions across Asia under a civilian facade. Its CIA activities included supporting the KMT in China, airlifting supplies during the Korean and Indochina Wars, backing the Permesta rebellion, and transitioning into Air America for Vietnam War operations. CAT’s pilots faced extreme risks, from shootdowns in Manchuria to Dien Bien Phu, while its drug trafficking allegations remain contentious. The airline’s profitability and longevity made it a unique CIA asset, but its covert nature left many personnel unrecognized.